NACOGDOCHES, Texas — SFA Gardens at Stephen F. Austin State University will host an orientation and training for volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center at 2900 Raguet St. in Nacogdoches.

The training will prepare volunteers to present environmental education programs to area school children throughout the year. These programs introduce students to the natural world through hands-on activities.

Dr. Brad Meyer, director of percussion studies at Stephen F. Austin State University, will perform works by Christopher Deane, Kevin Bobo, Alejandro Viñao and others in a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

The recital is a joint presentation of the SFA College of Fine Arts and School of Music and is a feature of the Friends of Music Concert Series.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University's SFA Gardens, the Pineywoods Audubon Society and the university’s student chapter of the National Association for Interpretation are sponsoring the Great Backyard Bird Count from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 16 at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, 2900 Raguet St.

The Friends of Music Concert Series presentation of “Zodiacal Light,” a recital originally scheduled for Tuesday night, March 5, in Cole Concert Hall on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus, has been canceled. The performers plan to reschedule at a later date.

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NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music and its Friends of Music Concert Series will present “Zodiacal Light,” a faculty chamber recital, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 5, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The SFA Friends of Music and School of Music will honor Dr. Jennifer Edwards at Extravaganza 32, Stephen F. Austin State University School of Music’s annual gala banquet. The event is planned for 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the Grand Ballroom of SFA’s Baker Pattillo Student Center.

Edwards, a 1967 graduate from the SFA School of Music, retired after an illustrious career as a professor of voice at Kansas State University.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Mary Nelle Brunson, who formerly served as associate provost, associate vice president of academic affairs and dean of the Graduate School, was named associate professor emeritus during Stephen F. Austin State University’s Board of Regents meeting Tuesday.

An SFA graduate holding a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Education, Brunson received her doctoral degree in early childhood education from the University of North Texas. She originally joined the SFA faculty in 1993 as an instructor of early childhood education.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host a plant propagation workshop to share methods for growing new plants from seeds, as well as detailing different methods of vegetative reproduction, including cuttings, division and layering.

The event will run from 9 a.m. to noon June 22 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building, Room 101, at the SFA Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas – New dates for Guitar Camp offered by the Music Preparatory Division of the School of Music at Stephen F. Austin State University are July 23 through 26.

Larry Greer, who teaches guitar at SFA and Angelina College, is camp director. The camp is from 2 to 3 p.m. each day at the Music Prep House, located at 3028 Raguet St.

Lessons are designed for students ages 10 and up. Tuition is $50, and guitar rental is $10. Lessons are provided in rock, country, classical and jazz. Class size is limited to 10 students.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University has received $1.8 million in funding from the Greater Texas Foundation, the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and the James I. Perkins Family Foundation to support the JacksTeach STEM teacher preparation initiative in the College of Sciences and Mathematics.

JacksTeach is a replication site of the UTeach Institute, a nationally recognized STEM teacher preparation program. Students in the program earn a four-year bachelor’s degree and a secondary teaching certification without adding any additional semesters of coursework.